


Red Skies

by SifaShep



Series: The Quarian and the Infiltrator [1]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen, Mindoir, Origin Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2015-10-11
Packaged: 2018-04-25 21:35:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4977352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SifaShep/pseuds/SifaShep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My infiltrator Remy Shepard has the Colonist background. Here’s where his story starts…the attack on Mindoir by the Batarian slavers. How did he survive?</p><p>A single moment in time can change a universe…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Restless Night

**Mindoir Colony, Attican Traverse, 2170**

 

“I don’t like this. It’s too quiet.  Even the crickets stopped chirping.”

Cassandra Valentino raised her eyebrows at the militia leader. She deadpanned, “We don’t have crickets, not like Earth anyway.”

Patrick Shepard narrowed his eyes at the darkness beyond their colony’s borders. Of course, Mindoir didn’t have crickets, but even Mindoir had its share of strange wildlife. The stars above twinkled brightly and the smell of newly plowed dirt filled the air. The security patrol could see the warm lights of the homesteads behind them. The colonists settled down for a peaceful night after a hard day’s work.

Patrick was a practical man. He knew better than to jump to conclusions; after all, working as a vice detective on the New Orleans streets taught him that.  _Show me the evidence and I might be convinced._

Tonight, his gut warned him something was wrong. Madeline often shook her head and told him to ‘listen to that little voice in your gut, _chere_.“ Nine times out of ten, she was right.

“Cass, you have a talent for stating the obvious.”

“It’s an inherited trait. Ask my mother.” Cass laughed without humor and deftly changed the subject. “You gotta relax, Shep, before you bust a blood vessel. Then Madeline will get really pissed at you and say, ‘I told you so’.”

His mouth quirked upwards with humor. His sixteen year old son was just like his mother, going on instinct as opposed to plan.

_Speaking of…_

Patrick tapped his ear comm. “Patrol One-Five to Control.”

“Control here. Everything all right?”

“So far, Remy. Sensors clear?”

“So far. No activity in the last hour.”

“All right, we’re going to do one more round before One-Six takes over.”

“Got it. Stay safe, Dad. Control, out.”

“One-Five, out.”  Patrick sighed and shook his head. He caught Cass’s expression and added, “He’s still mad at me.”

She patted Patrick on the arm. “He’ll get over it, Shep. A little cold isn’t gonna sideline your son for long. He’s as stubborn as you are. Maybe tomorrow night he can head up One-Six’s shift. He’s got the experience now.”

“Yeah, that might be a good idea. Madeline’s been nagging me to let him take more responsibility in the militia.”

“It’ll be good for him. Face it, Shep…he’s as good a shot as you are. We could use the help.”

“Yeah, we could–wait. Did you see that flash?”

“What flash–?” A bright light sliced through the night sky. It lasted only a few seconds, but it was long enough. “Shit. That wasn’t lightning.”

Patrick shook his head and gestured to his team. “Fan out. Keep in radio contact. If you see anything, raise the alarm.”

“Got it,” replied Cass. She gestured for her squad partner to follow her lead. “You think we should get everyone into the shelters?”

Patrick considered it, then shook his head. “Not yet, but it won’t hurt to give everyone a heads-up.”

Cass nodded as she tapped her earpiece. “Jonathan? Code Blue Two, spread the word. Get Talitha ready to move to the shelter if it’s necessary–”

Every Human colonist knew the risks of making a new home among the stars. On the one hand, there was freedom and a chance to make a new start. On the other, slavers, raiders, pirates, natural disasters…

Patrick hoped that sinking feeling in his gut was wrong.


	2. Keep a Watchful Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remy Shepard and his mother work at the Colony's Comm Outpost when they hear disturbing news.

**Mindoir Colony, Attican Traverse, 2170**

*****

“All quiet, Remy?” Madeline Shepard asked as she entered the room. Her strong hands balanced a snack tray and two cups of coffee.

Remy Shepard nodded, although he kept his eyes glued to the sensor screen. Madeline was struck at how much he looked like his father. That intensity for the job at hand, no matter how trivial it was.

“So far, so good. It’ll be nice to relax for once.”

Madeline laughed and placed a cup of coffee in her son’s hand. He accepted it from her with a smile of thanks. Both of them shared the same piercing blue eyes and broad features, but the shock of red hair was all Patrick’s. The Shepards had relocated to Mindoir twenty years before, their son was born here, and despite her nostalgia for the Louisiana bayou,  _this_  was home.

“Something on your mind, Mom?”

She sighed and shook her head. “I’m gettin’ old, Remy. Lost in memories. I was just rememberin’ when your father and I first came here from Earth.”

He laughed at her wistful tone. “You’ll never grow old,  _Maman_.  You’ll still be kicking raider butt when you’re a hundred and fifty.”

Madeline laughed and playfully punched her sixteen-year old son in the shoulder. “Flatterer. Save it for the McCormick girl. She’s been moonin’ after you for a while now.”

Remy grimaced. “Janice McCormick? Mom, she’s not my type. Besides, I may be off-world in a couple of years.”

She sighed. “Still thinking about enlistin’ in the Alliance military?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I have.”

“I’d thought you’d consider staying on Mindoir…be a militia leader like your father.”

“I could do my required years of duty and come back with a lot more experience. Be able to help Dad and the others that way.”

“Remy, you’re only sixteen. You still have time. Don’t be in such a hurry to grow up.”

He shook his head, another familiar gesture. “Mom, growing up in the Colonies forces you to grow up. I’m not a kid anymore.”

“I know.” Despite herself, she couldn’t help but try to ruffle his hair, just as when he was little. He grinned and avoided her easily. It always amazed her how nimble he was for his size, but then again, Patrick had been the same way.

The radio crackled, interrupting their banter. “Patrol One-Six to Control.”

Remy turned back to the receiver, back to business. “Control here.”

Lieutenant Jonathan Valentino’s voice was calm, but they both heard the concern in it. “One-Five reports seeing something suspicious. They’ve gone to check it out. Cass relayed the order for Code Blue Two.”

“Blue Two?” Madeline’s brow furrowed with worried. “Patrick wouldn’t issue that without good reason. You sure?”

“Pretty sure. You know him; better safe than sorry.”

“All right, Jonathan, I’ll let everyone know. Keep me updated.”

“Sure thing, Maddy. One-Six out.”

Madeline put down her coffee mug and checked the ammo chamber of her pistol. “Remy, stay here; you’re in charge of Control. I’ve got to get the word out to the others. Radio me if you hear from your father.”

“Mom, I should go–” He started to get up, but a spate of coughing forced him to sit again. “ _Merde_ , damn cold…of all the people who got the ‘advanced’ immuno-boosters  _I’m_  the one who happens to come down with the sniffles–”

“Remy, sit down and drink your coffee.  _Dieu_ , you’re such a stubborn mule.” Maddie put a restraining hand on his arm. “You’re on the clock, Son, and even if you were healthy, it’s my turn. I need you to monitor the comm. That’s how you can help me.”

Remy nodded reluctantly and replied, “All right.”

“I’ll be back before you know it.” Madeline reached over and put her free hand on his arm. “You stay put.”

She left the room, leaving Remy to focus on what was going on outside.


	3. The Slaver Attack Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patrick and Madeline Shepard fight for their lives as the Batarians begin their attack on Mindoir.

Patrick glanced over his shoulder at the colony's lights. They went dark, not all at once, but gradually, as if the people were settling in for the night. Only they weren't; the able-bodied defenders readied themselves for trouble, while the younger ones set to move at a moment's notice.

He couldn't help but feel a thrill of pride for his people. Their practice drills were about to pay off in spades...

"Cass to One-Five! We've got movement on the perimeter! Big ones; looks like large groups heading towards the main part of the colony!"

"Slavers?"

"Might be, or pirates. Hang on--shit! Batarians!" Cass's tone trembled with fury. "Shep, they're Batarians!"

Patrick cursed under his breath. "Control, do you copy--?"

Remy's voice overlapped his. "I copy, Dad. Mom's getting everyone to shelters now! I can hear gunfire from the west side--"

"Remy, get One-Nine and Two-Three over there as back-up. Coordinate all defense squads, and send out a distress call. We're not gonna let these Batarians take our people!"

"Copy that, Dad."

"Stay on the line, Remy...we need you at Control." He nodded at his squad. "Let's move!"

He checked his shotgun, then led the others towards the heart of the chaos. Dark shadows loomed on the horizon. Patrick gestured for the others to take cover. He narrowed his eyes as those shadows advanced towards the colony's perimeter.

_Batarians. No mistaking those ugly mugs of theirs._  The enemy moved as one, covering ground swiftly and quietly. Patrick frowned at just how fast they went. _Either someone's been training them or they finally caught a clue from all those bootleg First Contact War vids._

He pressed his comm button. "Remy, I've got a visual. Seven Batarians encroaching on the west, coming in close."

"Copy that, Dad. Cass just reported seeing another four."

"Eleven. They're throwing a huge force at us. Wonder why...we're just a backwater colony."

"Maybe they believe in overkill."

"Maybe. We're gonna try to take them out before they reach the medical building on this side."

"Okay. Just...be careful, Dad."

"See you on the flipside, Son. Hold Control until help comes. That's an order from your Old Man."

"Got it. Control, out."

Patrick sighted down his gun's barrel. Now he only saw four Batarians. Where were the other three?

"Watch our six," he whispered to the man next to him. "They might try to circle around us."

The lead Batarian turned to his right and fired a shot into one of the barricades. Patrick nodded and whispered hoarsely, "Open fire!"

*****  
Madeline Shepard watched as the last family entered the shelter. She looked inside at the terrified civilians, huddled at the back walls. Madeline pointed her chin at the food and water stores stacked along the east side of the room.

"There should be enough to last a while. Stay here and don't open the doors for anyone. If you hear trouble, raise me on the radio."

"Y-yes, ma'am." Delia Hawke, the colony's teacher, accepted the radio with a shaking hand.

Madeline reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get through this. Stay strong."

"Miss Shepard?" asked a girl. "I'm scared."

She glanced down and remembered the girl's name.  _Talitha Valentino, Cass and Jonathan's daughter._ "Your mom and dad are fightin' off the bad guys, Talitha. When this is all over, you'll see them again. Right now, you need to watch over the little ones, okay?"

Talitha nodded so hard that her hair fell over her eyes. "Yes, Miss Shepard. Is Remy gonna be okay?"

Madeline smiled at her. Six-year old Talitha had a crush on her son for the longest time, but Remy wasn't aware of it.  _She'll be a stunner when she's older..._ "He's helping to defend us, Talitha. He'll be fine, you'll see."

She brightened at the very thought. Madeline chuckled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Then Madeline turned and stepped outside the doors. With a firm hand, she closed the doors and activated the locks. Nothing short of a nuclear bomb could blow them open.

She sighed and let the worry show on her face. There was no word from Patrick or the other militia teams. "Control, the civilians are safe. I need an update."

"Dad said the Batarians are closing in around the colony, at least eleven of 'em. His last position was northeast, near the medical building."

"I'm on my way."

"Mom, watch yourself."

"I always do, Remy."

She pressed herself against the shelter's wall as the sound of broken pre-fab panels echoed through the colony. A second later, she noticed the red dot of a sniper's sight on her chest. She threw herself to the side, just as the shot barely missed her.

"Hang on, Ms. Shepard!" A fusillade of bullet fire slammed into the sniper and his outlook. Two Batarians fell from one of the balconies above Madeline's head.

"Jonathan!" Madeline called out.

"We got you." Jonathan Valentino offered her his hand. "Let's go and kick some Batarian ass."


	4. Overwhelmed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remy takes things into his own hands. (I wanted to show Remy’s skills as a future sniper, and how he found the strength to survive the attack.)
> 
> Hackett (born in 2134) is 36 here. Anderson (born in 2137) is 33. (My personal headcanon has these two working together long before ME1, and this is my take on how Shepard met both.)

Remy's hands flew over the console as Mindoir's comlines exploded with chatter. Some of the squad leaders had experience in the military, or C-Sec or law enforcement, like Patrick. Others were farmers, engineers, lab technicians; they knew the basics on how to handle a weapon, but had never seen combat before this.

"Two-Four, lay suppressive fire! Cover Five's retreat!"

"Careful, that shot nearly took my head off!"

"I can't get there-argh!"

"Hang on, sweetheart, we're coming. Barricade the door and stay away from the windows!"

The Batarians knew how to divide and conquer their prey. Anyone capable of fighting back were killed quickly, while the more helpless huddled in the shelters. Others froze in their hiding spots, too terrified to move. Remy still tried to direct the militia squads to repel the worst of the attack.

He tried to update his father, but Patrick wasn't responding to his calls. Fear threatened to choke him.  _Dad can take care of himself. He'll be all right. Mom too. They have to be all right._

He checked the distress beacon. Somehow the Batarians hadn't bothered to jam the transmission. Either they hadn't detected it, or they simply didn't care. By the time help arrived, it would be far too late.

"Mindoir Colony, this is Captain Steven Hackett of the SSV  _Monroe_."

Remy pounced on the comm. The Alliance was coming to help! "This is Mindoir Colony! We're under attack by Batarians! Request immediate assistance!"

"We're changing course, and we'll get there as soon as we possibly can. Give me a sitrep."

Remy took a deep breath. This Captain Hackett reminded him so much of his father. The captain's calm voice helped keep the panic at bay.

"Our militia's engaged the Batarians, at least a dozen of them, most likely more. Most of the civilians are in shelters. I'm manning Control; I'm the only one here."

"Okay. Take a deep breath. You're doing fine. What's your name?"

"Remy, Remy Shepard, sir."

"Stay in Control as long as you can, but don't hesitate to leave if you're in danger. I'm connecting you to my XO, Lieutenant Commander Anderson. Update him on the situation there."

"Yes, sir."

"Good man."

A different voice took over, deep and comforting. "This is Lieutenant Commander Anderson. Pleased to meet you, though I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Likewise, sir."

"You don't have to call me 'sir', son. Anderson is fine. Tell me what's going on."

Remy gave him a concise summary of events, starting from the very beginning. He kept an ear on the militia's channel...and a familiar voice interrupted him.

"Dammit, Shep,  _we can't hold them back!_   We're being overrun!"

"Fall back, protect the core of the colony!"

"Gotcha--oh no! They're using gas grenades! One-Six and Two-Five are down, repeat down! Stun grenades, they don't want to hurt us, they want to enslave us--"

"Cass--"

She began coughing, her words tight with terror. "Tell Talitha I love her. Tell her that her mommy loves her very much--"

"CASS!"

An explosion shook the room.Remy grabbed his shotgun and yelled into the comm, "They're hitting us with stun grenades! They want to take us alive--"

Anderson's reply was barely audible."Hold on, son. Survive until we get there! That's an order!"

A second explosion rocked the building. He went flying out of his seat, slamming into the opposite wall. Pain burst behind his eyes as he slumped to the floor in a daze.

_Got to get out...got to help them..._ Somehow he managed to hang on to his weapon. He staggered to his feet and located the door.

He emerged into a hellfire of chaos. The nearest line of pre-fab houses burned merrily away and poured toxic smoke into the sky. It mixed with the sharp tang of stun grenades. Remy's lungs spasmed and he coughed.  Dizziness forced him to his knees, but he managed to crawl out of range of the poisonous clouds. If he blacked out, he was dead, or worse.

A dark shadow charged him from his right. Reflexes kicked in and he pulled the trigger. His aim was true; a Batarian fell at his feet with a neat hole through his head.

A panicked voice echoed on his radio. "They've made it to the power station! They're going to--"

Lights exploded, sparks threaded their way to anything flammable to start their own inferno. Remy shaded his eyes from the flames as he fought his way to the shelters. There had to be people who had made it; his mother would have gathered everyone she could find and drag them there.

He heard rough voices around the next corner. Cautiously, he peered around it and his eyes widened in dismay. A group of Batarians rigged explosives to the shelter door. Enough to destroy the door, but not enough to kill the colonists inside.

Cass Valentino had been right. The Batarians didn't want to kill the colonists. They wanted to enslave them. Given the choice, Remy wanted to die fighting.

Remy quietly circled around, crept closer to within firing range. The sounds of battle hid his movement, and the demolitionists were too focused on the prize to notice him. He found a perch slightly above the Batarians, aimed at the nearest one, and fired.

The Batarian's body jerked once, then fell unceremoniously to the ground. The others immediately dropped what they were doing, and while they tried to locate the shooter, Remy brought down two more of them in rapid succession.

"Get that timer set!" shouted their leader. "The rest of you--find that one and bring him to me!"

Remy quickly moved to another vantage point. He felt a cough deep in his lungs, but he stifled it with an iron will. He couldn't afford to give away his position, not now. He managed another kill, but the shot after that missed wide.

He needed to short-circuit that bomb. What he would give for an omni-tool right about now... _hell, I'll take a pair of pliers right about now._

Bullets peppered the walls around him, forcing him to roll to alternate cover. The ash and smoke made it hard to breathe, and his aim reflected that. Remy pressed himself against a large piece of broken pre-fab. He could see the explosives.

_Need to get to them before they go off--_ The innocent colonists in that building depended on him.

Survive until we get there. That's an order.

He took a deep breath and ran towards it, firing as he did. The Batarians didn't expect such a bold and reckless move. By the time they realized what was happening, most of them were dead or dying.

There was one Batarian left, the leader. He howled and took Remy down with a flying tackle. The shotgun tumbled out of reach, and the Batarian jammed the muzzle of his heavy pistol into Remy's gut. Remy steeled himself for the death blow--

\--but the pistol clicked on an empty chamber.

The Batarian growled in frustration and swung the useless pistol at Remy's head. Remy ducked, whirled and rammed his fist into the enemy's face. He saw his shotgun on the ground, and dove for it. Unfortunately,the Batarian recovered more quickly than he expected. Just as he reached it, he felt a pair of hands clamp hard around his neck.

"You...die..." the Batarian hissed through blood-flecked lips. "I snap your neck--"

And at that very moment, the explosion ripped into the shelter, and hurled the combatants away. Remy hit the ground hard and felt a burst of agony in his right shoulder.

Darkness rose around him and took him away. His last thought was, _I'm sorry, sir, I failed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to the Mass Effect Wiki, two Alliance vessels responded to the Mindoir distress call: the SSV Einstein and the SSV Monroe. If your Shepard is a Spacer, one of the ME1 side quests involves a former Einstein crewman who's an old friend of Hannah Shepard. The man suffers from PTSD because of that incident.


	5. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the slaver attack. This is the last chapter, with an epilogue to follow.

_Rain, rain, to wash away the grime, to make the crops grow...._

He stared up at the sky for several moments before his brain registered that he was awake. He was alive. Somehow, he was still alive.

How?  _Why?_

He rolled onto his side and immediately wished he hadn't. Bruised ribs, most likely broken. His right arm useless from the shoulder down. Probably bleeding internally as well...

Remy finally noticed the shrapnel buried deep in his left hip. Blood sluggishly flowed out of the wound, but he felt no pain. His vision became fuzzy at the edges; he managed to squeeze his eyes shut and roll onto his back.

_Is this how it feels to die? Bit of a letdown, I think..._ The thought struck him as hilarious. He would have laughed if his ribs allowed it.

The silence was deafening. No sounds of combat, no flashes of grenades. Was it all over? Did the Batarians take everyone? Why was he still here? They wouldn't have left him behind, would they?

Then again, judging from his injuries, they figured that he was a dead man, anyway. A dead slave was a useless slave. They wouldn't have bothered with him.

Cold comfort, that.

He realized he lay several meters away from the shelter, closer now to the colony's main plaza. Somehow, he managed to roll onto his stomach and pull himself in that direction, left-handed. His fingers dug into the soft earth as he used his good right leg to propel himself forward. He didn't want to look at the blood trail he left behind him.

He was bleeding out, but he didn't care. The rain bathed his face; it actually felt good down his parched throat.

The ground changed from dirt to stone as he entered the plaza. He raised his head and nearly laid it down again when he saw the bodies sprawled there. Cass and Jonathan Valentino, hands bound behind their backs, shot from behind with their own weapons. Delia Hawke, the colony's teacher, lay across the body of one of the children, protecting him with her last breath.

People he knew, people he saw every day. People who had been alive hours--days?--ago.

Then Remy saw his father, what was left of him, anyway. Patrick Shepard's fingers were still locked tight around his shotgun, a fighter to the end, his features frozen into a mask of anger. The Batarians hadn't shown any mercy. They'd shot him multiple times, then dragged him away from the others to watch as the militia survivors were executed in front of him.

_Those bastards..._ Remy coughed, but his stomach was mercifully empty.

He didn't see his mother with the others. Had she been taken away by the Batarians? Was she still alive? He sighed and allowed his eyes to close again. He hoped not; Madeline was too proud, too tough, to be broken.

It didn't really matter anymore. He'd lost his parents, his family, his friends.

Survive until we get there. That's an order.

Remy shook his head and allowed the darkness to claim him again.

*****

"...you hear me, son? Can you hear me?"

"His condition's critical. Christ, I've seen people die from injuries less  _serious_ than this! It's a miracle he's hung on this long, Commander."

"How many survivors have we found so far, Major?"

"Nine. If he lives, he'll be number ten."

Some of them survived? Remy fought his way back to consciousness. The slim scrap of news gave him strength to open his eyes. Two Alliance officers hovered over him, a dark-skinned man with commander's stripes and a woman in medical white.

"He's waking up, sir, but I suggest keeping him calm until the sedatives kick in. We need to stabilize him enough for surgery. We might be able to save his arm...his leg might be iffy."

The man reached over and squeezed Remy on his good shoulder. "I'm Lieutenant Commander Anderson. We got here as soon as we could."

So, this was the man on the comm. Remy managed a weak reply "Remy..Shepard."

A paternal smile flickered on Anderson's lips. "The young man in the Control room. You did good, son. If you hadn't talked to us, we wouldn't have known you were in trouble. Rest easy; let us take it from here."

"My parents...they're gone..." The flat tone sounded foreign to him. "They killed my parents."

Anderson's grip tightened on his shoulder. "I wish we would have gotten here sooner. Remy...you managed to survive through all odds. There has to be a reason why. We need people like you, people who are survivors, to make sure this doesn't happen again."

"Yes...sir."

Anderson chuckled. "What did I tell you before? You don't have to call me 'sir'."

Remy felt that strange, floating feeling, a sign the sedatives were working. He hated that feeling of not being in control.  _I won't let anything--anyone--make me lose control ever again._

It was years before he broke that particular promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***** Epilogue to follow


	6. 25 years later...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard returns to Mindoir, 25 years after the attack.
> 
> This is post-Reaper War. Remy is married to Tali, and they have 2 adopted children, orphans from the war. Jona's mother was one of the researchers on the Alarei (Tali's loyalty mission in ME2). His father was a maintenance tech on Admiral Koris's ship in ME3).

**Mindoir Colony, Attican Traverse, 2195**

He leaned against the balcony railing and stared out into the distance. Twenty-five years since the attack, twenty-five years since he'd set foot on Mindoir.

_They rebuilt Mindoir. It wasn't the same._

A lot had changed in twenty-five years. Nothing remained of the original settlement, except what the Alliance kept in the museums. The current colony was nearly three times larger than the one Remy remembered. The spaceport handled an inflood of traffic, most here for the memorial ceremony. The sound of laughter and music echoed from the surrounding buildings.

Foot traffic dominated the plaza as restaurants and cafes opened their doors. Two monuments dominated the plaza. A bronze statue honoring Mindoir's most famous son, the Savior of the Galaxy. He couldn't walk past it without feeling embarrassed. Not only did the colonists put his likeness on the colony's seal, but they had also erected the statue without his knowledge.

Remy looked to the west, towards the second memorial.  A marble wall etched with gold letters, listing the names of the victims of the Batarian attack. He'd memorized them all. At the top of the list were  _Patrick Etienne Shepard_  and  _Madeline Chloe Charbonneau-Shepard._

"Dad? Is that it?"

He glanced down at the thirteen-year old girl who stood next to him. She followed his gaze to the pair of monuments below. Her clear blue eyes and strawberry-blonde hair was a close match to Remy's. Many people assumed that they were truly father and daughter by blood.

"Yeah, that's it."

"I dunno...I imagined they'd make you a bit...shorter."

Remy sighed and rolled his eyes. "It's a two-meter statue on a one meter podium, Maddie."

She chuckled at his defensive tone. "Relax, Dad. I meant Uncle Garrus and Uncle James are both taller than you are. It makes it look like you tower over them and Uncle Wrex."

Someone laughed and slid her arm through Remy's. "It's the thought that counts, Maddie. Your father is larger than life at times."

"Uh...thanks, Tali."

Maddie grinned and said, "I was only kidding, Mom. Trying to lighten things up a bit."

"I appreciate the thought, sweetheart, but I'm okay."

Remy drew Tali closer to him. The Quarian wore her suit, but without the helmet. Her long dark hair braided down her back and her glowing eyes shone with affection.

"You two ready?"

Tali squeezed his arm, support and reassurance in the gesture. "Ready whenever you are."

"Good. Call your brother, Maddie, and we'll be on our way down."

*****

A hush fell over the assembled crowd as a series of chimes rang over the plaza. Admiral Steven Hackett (retired) read out the names etched on the Memorial Wall. "Jonathan Valentino, Cassandra Averett Valentino, Delia Hawke...Patrick Etienne Shepard, Madeline Charbonneau Shepard..."

Remy reached over and placed a hand on Talitha Valentino's shoulder. She glanced back at him, tears at the corner of her eyes. He had saved her life in the Citadel Docking Bay. Now thirty-one, she was a medical resident under Doctor Chakwas.

"You okay?" he whispered.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Talitha replied. She managed a smile. "Thanks."

Hackett read the last name, then took a step back from the microphone. He turned and gestured to Remy and Talitha. Together, they carried a wreath of flowers and gently set it at the foot of the Memorial Wall. Lights flashed as holocameras recorded this historic moment.

Hackett nodded as they stepped back. Talitha reached for Remy's hand; he squeezed it.

"Twenty-five years ago, the SSV Monroe and the SSV Einstein responded to Mindoir's distress call. We feared that we would come too late to save anyone. Yet we hoped there would be survivors. Ten colonists survived. One of those ten went on to command the SSV Normandy. Another colonist returned to us after years of slavery; she fought against all odds to regain her freedom and live a normal life.

"Let us not forget the ones who died defending their homes here. They exemplify the true pioneering spirit, the ones who made their mark on the stars. Let them be an example to all of us, to never give up and never give in to fear and oppression. We owe them, and we remember."

Hackett nodded again at Remy, then rang the chimes again, concluding the ceremony. The crowd quietly dispersed. A few left flowers and candles at the Memorial Wall, others lingered at the list of names. Soon the plaza was close to empty.

"I'll make sure Talitha gets to her hotel room," Hackett said. He narrowed his eyes at Remy. "Are you sure you're all right?" 

"Coming back here...it's brought up a lot of memories, sir, but I'll be all right."

"Don't hesitate to call if you need to,Shepard."

"Thank you, sir."

After Hackett left, Remy reached over and touched names of his parents. He felt their presence here, stronger than ever.

"I wish I would have known them," Tali whispered.

"I think they would've loved you, Tali."

Maddie and her brother Jona glanced at each other. Jona Shepard vas Rannoch reached into his vest and drew out a vial full of dirt. He carefully placed it among the offerings.

"From Rannoch," Jona said. He bent his head and put a three-fingered hand on the wall. "If it weren't for them, we would never had returned to the homeworld. They made it possible.  _Keelah se'lai_ , Grandmother and Grandfather."

Remy smiled and put a hand on his adopted son's shoulder.

_Mom. Dad. Rest easy. It's all okay._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> My take on the Mindoir attack.
> 
> And Talitha? Yeah, that Talitha of the 'I Remember Me' sidequest in ME1, if your Shepard is a Colonist.


End file.
